


fake it 'til you make it

by tempolarriefics



Category: One Direction (Band)
Genre: Cheating, Fake/Pretend Relationship, Friends to Lovers, M/M
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2017-06-17
Updated: 2017-06-17
Packaged: 2018-11-15 06:05:59
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 13,970
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/11224884
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/tempolarriefics/pseuds/tempolarriefics
Summary: “So.” Louis clears his throat, trying to prompt the curly haired boy into speaking.“You want me to what?” The boy asks incredulously, speaking slowly in a way that emphasizes the absurdity of what Louis has just asked.Louis clears his throat, hoping he doesn’t look as completely mortified as he feels. He shrugs nonchalantly before squeaking out, “To go to the Yule ball with me, to make my ex-boyfriend jealous?”or, the one where Harry and Louis are seventh years at Hogwarts and while trying to make Liam jealous, fall in love along the way.





	fake it 'til you make it

**Author's Note:**

  * For [hilarry13](https://archiveofourown.org/users/hilarry13/gifts).



> this is ridiculously overdue and I am so sorry xx

When Louis came barging back into the Slytherin boys’ room, having forgotten his potions book, he expected to find it left open on his best friend’s bed. It is, he notices absently, the binding strained from the way the book has been carelessly tossed aside and is currently dangling precariously from the corner of Zayn’s mattress. However, more pressing, is what is unexpectedly also on Zayn’s bed. Namely, Zayn himself, locked in a searing kiss with a broad-shouldered, brown-eyed boy that Louis would recognize anywhere.

Louis feels himself freeze in the doorway, unable to tear his eyes away.

The arms wrapped around Zayn’s neck are the same arms that have held Louis countless times before, and the fingers that twist through Zayn’s hair do so with a sickening familiarity.

“Liam?” Louis chokes out even before his brain has fully finished processing the scene in front of him. Normally, he might worry about being wrong, about how Zayn would hex him if it turned out that he has interrupted his make-out session with a cute guy for no reason. But this doesn’t occur to Louis at all. He’s sure of himself, sure that those hands are the same ones he held only this morning, sure that the boy blocked by Zayn’s frame is the one and only Liam Payne.

Sure enough, the bodies on the bed go comically still at the sound of his cracked voice ringing through the air. Then, with unbelievable speed, the boys are shoving quickly away from each other as if the sudden distance between them can negate their actions from moments before.

“Louis!” The boy who was wrapped around Zayn says shrilly, stumbling away from Zayn’s bed and wiping his mouth hastily against the back of his hand. He turns to face Louis, and Liam’s unmistakable features come into view, confirming Louis’ initial guess of his identity.

“Liam.” Louis repeats quietly, mind numb.

“I, um.” Liam stammers. “I can… explain.”

Louis doesn’t know what kind of explanation his boyfriend of two years thinks could possibly justify what he has just walked in on, but he knows it would be a lie. Louis has always prided himself on being good at reading people, and especially after having dated Liam, the man is an open book.

Louis raises an eyebrow at Liam as he assesses him. Liam’s brown eyes are wide with fear, his eyebrows downturned guiltily, his lower lip wobbling uncertainly.

“Bullshit.” Louis hisses, the word coming out with more malice than even he thought he was capable of.

Liam visibly shrivels, taking a hesitant step backwards as his shoulders curl inwards in something like defeat.

Zayn, for his part, is standing quietly next to his bed, eyes downcast and face solemn.

“I’m sorry, Louis.” Zayn is the one who apologizes first, the three simple words filled with more meaning than they can possibly convey.

Wetness threatens Louis eyes at that, at the heartfelt sentiment that he can hear in Zayn’s apology and see in his face.

“I’m so sorry, too.” Liam says, in what he probably intends to be a soothing voice. He is looking at Louis in a way that is mildly terrified, and Louis is suddenly aware of his own hand instinctively gripping the hilt of his wand.

Slowly, he works his fingers open one by one and brings both of his hands to rest at his sides. Liam and Zayn visibly relax.

Louis waits for the words that he is hoping are going to come from Liam’s mouth. That it didn’t mean anything, that he regrets it more than anything, that he only ever wants Louis. He waits for Liam to beg for forgiveness, to plead for their relationship to be able to continue, but Liam’s lips remain pressed together in a firm line.

Louis swallows, blinking hard to keep the tears that are pricking at his eyes from falling. He stares fixedly at his book, which has now fallen and is laying sprawled open on the floor.

“How long?” Louis asks flatly, his voice cutting into the tense silence.

“Louis,” Liam says gently, shaking his head.

“How long?” Louis repeats, sharper this time.

Zayn pushes away from where he was leaning against the wall and stands straight, as if bracing himself for an oncoming battle. “Two months.” He answers.

Louis swallows hard, feeling his mind reel once more. He tries to wrack his brain for what had been happening in his life two months ago, what might have set this whole thing in motion.

“It’s not because of you.” Zayn says, his tone softer now.

“It’s really not.” Liam agrees, taking a tentative step towards him.

“Why didn’t you… why didn’t you tell me? Break up with me?” Louis demands accusingly.

“I don’t know.” Liam says, looking disappointed in himself. “I was stupid, I didn’t know how to tell you without ruining the friendship between you and Zayn.”

“And I didn’t know how to tell you without ruining the relationship between you and Liam.” Zayn says.

“Two months?” Louis echoes belatedly. “So for two whole months, you’ve both been lying to my face?”

Louis feels stupid. Zayn had dropped hints, he realizes now. Zayn had been asking him things like, _do you think we’d be friends no matter what? do you think there’s anything that could tear us apart? how is everything with you and Liam?_ with what apparently should have been an alarming frequency. And Liam hadn’t been the most subtle either; he’d been pulling back a lot physically. Louis isn’t fully sure when the last time they had sex even was. Something had been off with their chemistry for a while, but he hadn’t dared imagine that this could have been the reason.

“But we…” Louis feels incredibly dumb even mentioning this, but he can’t help himself. “We talked about the future. We were talking long term. Now we aren’t even talking tomorrow.”

He wants more than anything for Liam to assure him that it was a mistake, that he still wants to be together.

But Liam doesn’t say anything, just winces and shrugs.

Its self-sabotage to ask, Louis is aware of this. But he has to know the answer.

“When did you know that you didn’t want me anymore?” He whispers.

There’s a beat of sad silence, before Zayn cuts in.

“Louis,” He says consolingly. “Please.”

Louis can see the guilt and pity shining in both of their eyes, and it makes him irrationally angry. His hand automatically reaches for his wand, but Zayn and Liam match the movement easily. Louis knows he would be disarmed in seconds if he were to try anything. It’s two against one; he’s outmatched.

“Liam Payne,” He addresses his now ex-boyfriend bitterly, fighting back the tears that are sure to spill over any moment now. “I don’t know how you got sorted into Gryffindor…”

Liam blinks, clearly confused by the statement.

“Because you are officially the biggest coward I know.” Louis finishes, turning on his heel. He pauses only to grab his damned potions book before exiting the room with as much dignity as he can manage.

 

-

 

That had been two weeks ago.

Louis frowns at the thought even now, pushing his food around on his plate dejectedly. Reliving the memory still makes his chest tighten painfully, and he doubts it will ever stop doing so.

“Mate, you’re going to offend the house elves.” A cheerful voice teases in what Louis supposes was intended to be a scolding way. He doesn’t think Niall could be negative if he tried, though, so he gives his blonde friend his best attempt at a smile.

“Nah, they know their food is as good as it always is.” Louis assures his friend, clapping a hand at his back.

“Not in the mood to eat again?” Niall asks, brows furrowing together slightly in concern.

Louis shrugs noncommittally. If only to ease the look of worry that is dampening Niall’s features, he forces a large forkful of mashed potatoes into his mouth. He can taste the buttery goodness against his tongue, but it makes his mouth unusually dry in a way that isn’t exactly pleasant.

Swallowing, he can’t help but wonder how much butter is in the potatoes. He sneaks a glance downwards, critically eyeing the slight bulge of his tummy. Maybe if he hadn’t eaten so much before, if he was leaner and more fit like Zayn, maybe Liam would still want him.

Louis lets his mind wander back to that day again _. “When did you know that you didn’t want me anymore?”_ he had asked.

He hadn’t gotten an answer.

Louis clears his throat, wincing as he realizes that Niall’s blue eyes are filled with worry and glued to him. It’s uncanny to see Niall’s face not bright and smiling, and it makes Louis feel guilty to know that he is the reason for it.

“I’m okay.” He assures Niall, hastily scooping a spoonful of peas and practically swallowing them whole. “Really.”

Niall shakes his head a little, clearly not believing him.

Liam and Zayn choose that moment to exit the Great Hall, and Louis can’t help the way his eyes follow them. Liam’s arm is looped casually around Zayn’s shoulders, his thumb rubbing absently against the deep green collar of Zayn’s black robes. Zayn’s arm is tucked inside Liam’s red Gryffindor robes, presumably wrapped around his waist. They’re both smiling, talking quietly as they walk out, and just as they reach the door Zayn murmurs something that causes Liam to throw back his head in surprised laugh.

Louis drops his attention deliberately back to the plate of food in front of him, forcing another spoonful of peas into his mouth. Maybe it was Zayn’s quiet sense of humor that Liam fell for. Maybe if Louis wasn’t so loud, Liam would still want him. He wonders if Liam started to find him obnoxious.

“Louis.” Niall says, his gentle tone drawing Louis back to reality.

Louis tries not to feel too patronized by the disapproving look Niall is giving him.

He knows what’s coming, what Niall has been trying to convey for a while now. During the first few days after he had walked in on Liam and Zayn, everyone had been understanding and sympathetic. Rumors spread like wildfire in the castle, and this one was one of the larger scandals of the year. Friends of friends, even friends of Liam’s, had come up to Louis in the days that followed offering empathetic gestures.

Now, though, it has been a little over two weeks since the incident. People have stopped gaping at Louis in the halls, patting him on the back sympathetically, and whispering in hushed tones when he passes by. To everyone else at least, things are back to normal.

And Louis knows that he, too, is expected to return to normal.

But it doesn’t feel normal. He doesn’t know how to stop wondering about questions that he will never get the answer to, questions that he probably doesn’t even want to know the answer to. Had Liam been lying to him when he had said that he was spending late nights in the library studying herbology? Or had it been the times that he said he was practicing quidditch? Had he really been feeling unwell when he stayed behind from the last trip to Hogsmeade?

And, regardless of when Liam had been lying to him, what had prompted the lying in the first place? Louis knows he’s not the slimmest guy around, nor the most tactful or charming or –

“Louis,” Niall’s voice comes again, cutting into his thoughts a bit more sharply this time.

Louis blinks, forces himself to look Niall in the eye.

Niall has been truly wonderful throughout the whole thing, he realizes. Niall is the type of guy who is friends with everyone, Liam and Zayn included. He and Louis were fairly close, but not to level that Louis would have expected him to take him under his wing the way that he did.

“Lou, mate,” Niall says. “You’ve really got to move on.”

Louis sighs, takes a moment before answering. “I know.”

Everyone expects him to move on. It’s the logical thing to do, and apparently the time at which he is supposed to be capable of doing so. But Louis doesn’t know how to move on. He had asked a brown-eyed Gryffindor to the Yule Ball two years ago and hadn’t looked at anyone else since.

Which, fuck.

The Yule Ball was coming up soon. Louis wouldn’t go, he supposed. He couldn’t imagine taking anyone but Liam, and he would rather not go alone and spend the night watching Liam and Zayn dance, off in their own little world.

“Hey.” Niall says quietly, interrupting his thoughts once more. “I’m worried about you, mate. What are you thinking?”

Louis shakes his head, giving Niall’s shoulder a squeeze. “How much it’s going to suck to be sat in the Slytherin common room alone while everyone else is off at the Yule Ball.”

Niall scoffs, punching Louis in the arm. “What are you talking about? You’re a seventh year. There’s no way you aren’t going to the Yule Ball of your last year at Hogwarts.”

“I mean,” Louis raises a challenging eyebrow at Niall, daring him to push further with this. “Not going at all sounds a hell of a lot better than going alone.”

“You could go with friends,” Niall suggests weakly, but the wince on his face shows that he knows Louis won’t like this idea.

Louis shakes his head, giving Niall a small smile. “Thanks, Niall. I’d rather not, though. Not when Liam and Zayn will be there, having the night of their lives.”

A stormy look crosses Niall’s face, which is rare for the usually joyful boy.

“Fuck him.” Niall mutters darkly. “They’re the ones who fucked up – you shouldn’t be the one who misses out because of it.”

Louis shrugs, squeezing Niall’s forearm gratefully. “Thanks, Ni.” He says softly. “But there’s not really anything we can do about it.”

Niall doesn’t say anything for a while, and Louis would have thought that he had moved onto thinking of other things were it not for the stony, concentrated line of his lips.

“You should go to the ball.” Niall says finally.

“We just went over this.” Louis sighs, ready to explain again that he really wouldn’t mind staying behind, especially when the alternative is being noticeably and uncomfortably solo.

“You should take someone else.” Niall tells him.

“I can’t think of anyone that I want to take besides Liam.” Louis replies honestly, immediately. It’s true, and knowing that fact makes him feel inexplicably small.

He expects Niall to be sympathetic to that, but instead Niall grins deviously.

“Exactly.” He says. “The Yule Ball is when you first asked Liam out, innit?”

“Yes…” Louis answers slowly, frowning a little at the thought.

“And you guys dated for what, three years?” Niall asked.

“Well, a little over two actually- ” Louis corrects.

 “So ask someone else to the Yule Ball. To your _seventh year_ Yule Ball.” Niall said, smirking. “It’ll make Liam jealous as hell. And maybe he’ll realize what he’s lost.”

Louis studies Niall for a moment. “And what, want me back?”

“Ideally.” Niall grins wolfishly. “C’mon, Lou. He and Zayn were friends and nothing more for nearly six years. They found a bit of chemistry and fucked up, but so what? It doesn’t mean anything. You and him have been dating for three years-”

“Two, actuall-”

“- and crushing on each other painfully obviously for even longer.”

“Hey, we weren’t _that_ obvious-”

“So if he sees you wooing someone else at the ball that means so much to you both, I’m sure it will at least remind him of why he fell for you in the first place.” Niall says triumphantly.

Louis takes a moment to think over what Niall is saying before he responds. He supposes it’s a decent plan, at least. Even if it doesn’t successfully win Liam back, he’ll at least get to go to the Yule Ball and have a fun time.

“You realize this is exactly the opposite of the advice that you gave me to ‘move on,’ right?” Louis asks, chuckling a little at Niall.

Niall lets out a loud laugh, turning to Louis with a twinkle of mischief in his blue eyes. “So, does that mean you’ll do it?”

Louis shrugs. “I mean, I’m open to the idea. I don’t have a clue who to ask, though.”

A wide smirk spreads on Niall’s lips. “Leave that to me,” he assures Louis. “I know just the guy.”

 

-

 

And that is how Louis finds himself standing in front of quite possibly the most attractive boy in all of Hogwarts, save for Zayn, who Louis had been convinced had some sort of good looks charm cast on him for the entirety of their first year of friendship.

Louis isn’t quite sure how he managed to overlook the model of a Hufflepuff in the back row of his Potions class, but apparently he has been there the whole time.

The thing is, the boy is unexpectedly gorgeous. He has dark brown hair that looks effortlessly windswept in a way Louis wishes his own hair would, long legs that are folded expertly under the desk, and eyes so green that he ought to have been sorted in Slytherin simply because it’s a crime he doesn’t get to wear green robes to accentuate them. There’s something inherently kind in his gaze, though, and Louis figures this must be why he’s a Hufflepuff.

The boy isn’t saying anything though, just looking at him with pink lips parted in disbelief.

They really are an extraordinary shade of pink, and they look soft, and Louis would very much like to explore this by pressing his own lips against them, but he supposes the middle of Potions is not the best time for this. Also, Liam. Liam is the reason he’s here, he reminds himself.

“So.” Louis clears his throat, trying to prompt the curly haired boy into speaking.

“You want me to _what_?” The boy asks incredulously, speaking slowly in a way that emphasizes the absurdity of what Louis has just asked.

Louis clears his throat, hoping he doesn’t look as completely mortified as he feels. He shrugs nonchalantly before squeaking out, “To go to the Yule ball with me, to make my ex-boyfriend jealous?”

Niall claps him on the back encouragingly and Louis jumps a little, having forgotten that the blonde was standing beside him. He fixes him with a cross look, not sure why Niall thought this would go more smoothly with him present. He was definitely, definitely wrong.

“Please?” Louis tries, wincing a little at how desperate he sounds.

The boy, he thinks Niall said his name was Harry, is looking at Louis as if he’s grown a second head. Though to be fair, this wouldn’t be completely outrageous. Once, Josh - Liam’s friend from the Gryffindor quidditch team - had accidentally cast a spell that caused him to have two heads. It had been a week before it had been able to be reversed, a week full of “two heads are better than one” jokes, but it still wasn’t nearly the strangest thing that had happened in Hogwarts.

Louis cringes, barely refraining from making a hasty exit out of self-preservation and dragging Niall out with him. Niall had been spot on in terms of picking someone who is Louis’ type  - which, Louis hasn’t looked twice at anyone since before Liam, so how did he even know? – but not so much in terms of picking someone who would be willing to go along with their shenanigans.

He’s ready to try to smooth things over with Harry and get the fuck out of there when he realizes that Harry and Niall seem to be having an intense silent conversation without him. Niall is waggling his eyebrows and Harry is scowling and Louis isn’t quite sure what he missed in the flurry of changing facial expressions, but it must have been something important because then Harry sighing and shrugging agreeably.

“I’ll do it.” Harry says finally, giving Louis a level stare. “But what’s in it for me?”

“What, besides this piece of ass you mean?” Niall asks, and Louis doesn’t even try to stop himself from kicking his friend in the shin.

Niall yelps indignantly, but Louis doesn’t pay him any mind.

“Anything.” He answers instead, and Harry bursts out laughing.

Harry’s laugh is a joyful sound, the deep rumbles of it punctuated by dimples at either of his cheeks. It strikes Louis all at once that he can’t remember the last time he made someone laugh.

“Is there something funny?” Professor Cowell’s voice cuts in harshly, and Louis feels the involuntary smile fade from his face.

“No, Professor.” Niall responds innocently.

Professor Cowell’s eyes narrow, darting quickly over each of the three boys. Louis might have once thought this meant the professor was assessing the situation, but by now he has been in enough trouble to recognize the truth behind the action: Professor Cowell was picking a target.

There is a long silence, save for the sound of the other students in the room attempting to make an elixir to mend wounds.

“Go back to your seats, boys.” Professor Cowell instructs Louis and Niall, who both nod. “Harry,” He continues, and Louis winces. Harry doesn’t deserve to be the target, not when Louis and Niall were clearly the ones who had approached him. “Perhaps if you wouldn’t spend so much time in class dawdling, you might actually have a chance at passing the potions N.E.W.T.”

Harry looks properly chastised, eyes downcast. Professor Cowell slides a paper on the desk in front of him, covered in red markings, before whipping around and raising an eyebrow at Louis.

“What are you looking at, Tomlinson?” He asks, eerily calm.

“Nothing, Professor.” Louis responds, turning his attention back to the cauldron in front of him.

“I don’t know how you’re managing to get good marks, Tomlinson.” Professor Cowell remarks snidely, placing a vaguely familiar paper in front of him. It’s probably his paper on Everlasting Elixirs, which he distinctly recalls Liam disapproving of because he had written it at 2am. He doesn’t really know how he’s managing to get good marks either, but he doesn’t think verbally agreeing with Professor Cowell is in his best interests.

“I guess I’ve got a knack for potions, sir.” Louis says.

Professor Cowell gives him a disdainful look. “You tarnish the name of potions, Tomlinson. If only you had the same knack for keeping your mouth shut.”

There’s a smart retort on the tip of his tongue, but Niall elbows him neatly in the ribs before he is able to talk back.

Seemingly satisfied, Professor Cowell stalks to the front of the class again to torture a poor girl in the second row whose cauldron is releasing a concerning orange-tinted smoke.

“So you, um,” Harry pauses by Louis and Niall’s desk on his way to collect ingredients from the cabinets along the wall. He looks bashful, but then again the redness at his cheeks could also be due to the reddish smoke that is spreading at an alarming rate through the room. “You’re good at potions, then?”

Louis looks up at Harry, mildly put off at just how far up he has to look. Harry is all long legs and lean torso and the ultimate effect is that he’s _tall_.

“I suppose.” Louis says carefully, rising as well. He needs infusion of wormwood from the side cabinets as well, and if standing will also make his height a bit closer to Harry’s, that’s neither here nor there.

“Oh, sure.” Niall scoffs from beside him, rolling his eyes. “ _Now_ you want to be modest. Can’t keep yer mouth shut about your knack for potions when Cowell is breathing down on you but now you ‘suppose’ you’re good?” Niall makes air quotes around the word with his hand, nearly dropping a vial of dragon’s blood in the process. He looks at Harry, flashing him a wink. “Louis is fucking great at potions, mate. Trust me.”

Louis shrugs, falling into step with Harry as he goes to gather the necessary ingredients.

“So,” Harry says slowly, reaching for a flask of morningdew with one hand and running the other through his hair.

“So,” Louis echoes, filling in the prolonged pause that follows.

“In exchange for me agreeing to, uhm, go to the Yule ball with you,” He gives Louis a meaningful look, leaving the reason for their going to the ball together unsaid but strongly implied. “I want you to tutor me. In potions.”

Louis takes his time gathering the vials and flasks he needs before turning to Harry and extending a hand. “Deal.”

Harry eagerly shakes his hand, and Louis can’t help but wonder just what exactly he’s gone and gotten himself into.

 

-

 

“Tell me about bezoars.” Louis says the next day, glancing at the copy of Advanced Potions in front of him.

Harry gives him a disapproving look from where he is sitting next to him. “That’s too easy.” He says, sounding somewhat affronted but keeping his voice hushed all the same. “We learned that in first year, Louis.”

“Well-” Louis starts to say, but Harry cuts him off, shushing him and holding up a finger.

They are sitting in the library, a maze of tall shelves stacked with books surrounding them. There are other students there as well, studying everything from alchemy to xylomancy. It’s mostly quiet, though there are a few other groups of students working together and chatting softly.

Talking quietly has never been Louis’ strong point. “Well,” He tries again, keeping his tone softer this time. “You didn’t know how to make a Forgetfulness Potion and we also learned that first year. I’m starting from the basics.”

Harry sighs, a small smile on his lips. “I don’t need to be taught everything again. I just need some help with the recent stuff. You know, stuff that will be on our N.E.W.T.s.”

Louis nods, nudging Harry’s knee with his own. “I know that.” He assures the taller boy. “But a lot of potions is intuition, and if you haven’t built that up over the past 6 years, then getting you some intuition is where we ought to start.”

Harry shakes his head stubbornly, glancing around the library quickly before saying, “Tell me about your ex-boyfriend, then.”

Louis’ eyebrows fly up. “What?” He asks loudly in surprise, and Harry shushes him again.

“Tell me about Liam.” Harry prods, eyes wide and curious. “You could just use some sort of jealousy potion or summat, couldn’t you?”

Louis frowns, saying lowly “We’ve got a _long_ way to go if that’s how you think potions work.”

Harry chuckles quietly, shaking his head good naturedly, and _really_ his respect for the volume level of the library is impressive. “Seriously,” He says. “Why the need for the Yule Ball scheme?”

 

“If I tell you, will you cooperate with your potions tutoring?” Louis demands.

Harry’s lips quirk upwards like he’s humoring Louis – which he is, he has the right to know the story behind what he’s doing regardless of his tutoring – but he nods compliantly instead of mentioning this fact so Louis counts it as a win.

He takes a moment before answering. Surprisingly, Louis doesn’t think anyone else has really asked him about his version of the events that took place. The rumors spreading have been fairly accurate – well, not counting the one he heard where Liam and Louis had battled each other to near-death in a duel in the headmaster’s office – and so most people have been content to let the rumor mill be the deliverer of the news, rather than Louis or Liam themselves.

“Liam and I dated for over two years.” Louis says simply, his voice naturally quiet now that they’ve reached a more somber topic. “I fancied him much longer than that, though. That was just when I finally had the balls to ask him out.”

“You asked him to the Yule Ball.” Harry fills in, understanding.

“That I did.” Louis agrees with a wry smile. “It was one of the best nights of my life.”

He can’t help but reminisce just a bit at the memory of it. He had been so nervous, armed with only a bouquet of roses, a second-hand tux, and his heart on his sleeve. His mum and each one of his four sisters had written him letters of excitement and encouragement, sent by owl over the course of the week leading up the ball, and he had read them all once more, tracing over his mum’s curling script, his sisters’ neat print, to bolster his nerves before going to meet Liam. And Liam, well. Liam had looked stunning.

He smiles a little now at the thought of Liam in fifth year. His suit been somewhat ill-fitting and his hair was cropped too close to his head and he was the most beautiful boy that Louis had ever laid eyes on. They had danced together all night, and it had been all kinds of wonderful. And after the ball, they had stumbled upon the Room of Requirement which had graciously presented them with a secluded room and a bed which they had proceeded to use enthusiastically.

“So that’s why the Yule Ball will make him jealous.” Harry interrupts Louis’ train of thought, watching him with a curious smile.

Louis shakes his head to clear it, flushing a little at where his mind was.

“Why the need to make him jealous, though? I heard you two broke up, but…” Harry trails off, studying Louis carefully.

“If you would study potions half as willingly as you’re studying me, you’d have excellent marks.” Louis comments, but there’s no bite in his words.

Harry chuckles, shrugging. “Just curious. You don’t have to talk about it, if you don’t want.”

Louis glances down sheepishly. “No, no it’s okay. It’s just… he cheated on me. With Zayn, my best friend.” He doesn’t dare meet Harry’s eyes, doesn’t want to see the sympathy that he knows is shining from them. “For two months. I walked in on them, that’s how I found out.”

“And so you ended it.” Harry finishes grimly.

Louis blinks, somewhat startled by the conclusion he had come to. “Well, no. Liam did, by cheating on me. He’s dating Zayn now.”

Harry doesn’t say anything right away, and when Louis finally looks up at him, the other boy looks uncharacteristically angry. “Fuck off.” Harry all but snarls, his voice raising just above the level that should be used in a library. “Are you saying that he cheated on you, and instead of coming crawling back to you when you confronted him about it, _he_ broke up with _you_?”

“Erm…” Louis coughs quietly, glancing around the library. “Well, yeah. That’s what happened. They had both wanted to tell me sooner, apparently.”

“And we’re doing this to win him back?” Harry demands, eyebrows raised.

Harry is radiating disapproval, and Louis cringes at his tone. He hopes this doesn’t mean Harry is reconsidering whether or not to go through with going to the Yule Ball together.

“Liam, Zayn, and I have been friends since second year.” Louis explains quickly. “Niall figures that if nothing romantic has been apparent between Liam and Zayn for the past four years, then surely their dating now won’t be a lasting thing. But Liam and I have been into each other since the end of third year. He’ll come around, hopefully.”

“You want him to?” Harry asks. He looks almost disappointed, for a fleeting moment.

“I mean, I’ve only ever been with him.” Louis admits quietly. “When I think of my future he’s still the face I see.”

Harry nods, lips pressed together somewhat sadly. “For the record,” He says slowly, moving his hand over Louis’ and giving it a comforting squeeze. “You deserve far better.”

Louis doesn’t know how to respond to that, and the way Harry is enclosing his fist doesn’t leave room for him to squeeze Harry’s hand back. “Thanks, H,” He settles on saying.

Harry nods, looking thoughtful. “Okay,” He says. “Okay. Let’s do this properly, then. What do you say we kick it up a notch?”

Louis raises an eyebrow in question. “What do you mean?”

Harry gives him a grin, deep dimples appearing at his cheeks. “Louis,” He says seriously, a twinkle in his eye. “Will you be my fake-boyfriend?”

 

-

 

“Fucking hell, Louis, are you out of your goddamned mind?” Niall hisses, gripping Louis’ bicep so tightly he can feel it in his fingers. He had been walking to Divination, a class he does not excel in half as well as he does in Potions, when Niall had ambushed him.

“What the hell?” Louis snaps, but follows as Niall forcefully tugs him down a side corridor.

 Once they are a short ways down the stone hallway, Niall shoves him against the wall roughly, holding him in place by his shoulders. “Louis.” He says, looking his friend in the eye. “Why have I been hearing rumors that you and Harry Styles are dating now?”

Styles. Louis blinks. He hadn’t even known his own fake boyfriend’s last name.

“Why are you upset about this?” Louis asks, frowning at Niall and twisting away from his hold.

“Tell me what happened.” Niall says, uncharacteristically serious.

“I told him what went down between me and Liam, and he said we should go big or go home. Instead of just making Liam jealous by me taking him to the Yule Ball, we should pretend to be boyfriends as well.” Louis explains, shrugging dismissively. “It’s not a big deal.”

“If it’s not a big deal,” Niall mutters. “Why am I hearing from a bunch of second years that the two of you are the new relationship goal for all of Hogwarts? And that they aspire to be asked to be someone’s significant other in half as extravagant of a way that you were?”

Louis blushes, recalling the enchanted flowers, heart shaped fireworks, and wild doves that Harry had set loose in the foyer last night. “Let’s just say Harry has an unexpected flair for the dramatic?” He tries. Then, as Niall is clearly unsatisfied with that explanation, he says reasonably, “We had to. Liam wouldn’t have even heard about it if we didn’t make it big enough to start talk.”

Niall sighs, looking displeased.

“Come on, Ni.” Louis says, frowning. “This was literally your idea. It’s just to make Liam jealous – maybe once he sees me starting to move on with someone new he’ll realize what he’s missing and want me back.”

Niall’s face doesn’t lighten the way Louis had expected it to. Instead, Niall shakes his head disapprovingly and shoves Louis’ shoulder halfheartedly, saying quietly “This is taking it farther than I thought you would.”

“Does it matter?” Louis asks, confused. “This is better, innit? A step up.”

“Just be careful, Lou.” Niall says, almost pleading. “Playing with emotions like this tends to end with someone getting hurt.”

“No one is gonna get hurt, Niall.” Louis says, barely resisting rolling his eyes. It gives him pause, though, and he mentally runs through the list of people who will be affected by this. Zayn probably has the largest chance of being hurt by the charade, but Louis doesn’t mind that too much. Liam was his boyfriend first after all, and thinking of Liam’s fingers tangled in Zayn’s hair when he had walked in on them is enough to dispel any of Louis’ concerns for Zayn’s well-being. Still, for Niall’s sake Louis amends, “No one who doesn’t deserve to, anyways.”

Niall still looks wary, but they are starting to pass the limit of an acceptable amount of time to show up to class late. “Make sure of it, yeah?” Niall says. Then, “I should go. ‘Ve got Care of Magical Creature’s next and by the time I get out of the castle it’ll be half over.”

“Yeah, okay.” Louis agrees. “Don’t worry, Ni.”

“You’re right, you’re right.” Niall says, shaking his head. “Sorry about that, mate. I trust you.” Then, with a crooked grin, “It’s good to see you happy again, though, you know? Haven’t seen a proper smile out of you in nearly a month, it feels like.”

Louis can’t help the surprised look that comes to his face. He hadn’t noticed that his lips were quirking upwards again, but he thinks it just might be due to spending time with Harry.

“You’ve got Divination next, right?” Niall asks, walking backwards down the corridor away from him. Louis nods, and the blonde laughs, joking “Hurry up and divine how to get your man back, then!”

Louis laughs, too, and salutes him. He’ll do his best.

 

-

 

“Hey, Louis?” Harry asks the next night in the library, brushing his fingers over where Louis’ hand is curled around his quill.

Louis can’t help but follow the unbidden touch with his eyes, confused. It’s not that he doesn’t like it – in fact, just the opposite – but despite having agreed to be fake-boyfriends the other day, they had both continued acting exactly the same around each other. This, the gentle caress of Harry’s long fingers over the side of his hand, is completely new territory.

“Um.” Louis says, blinking up at Harry.

“Don’t turn around.” Harry tells him, looking at him with more admiration than Louis is deserving of, especially considering he’s spent the last fifteen minutes trying to find a comprehensive list of poisonous substances and still has yet to find one.

Louis narrows his eyes at his study companion and immediately turns around.

He skims over the scene behind him, just library tables of studying students and shelves of books, wondering if Harry is playing some sort of joke on him. There’s a textbook that seems to be releasing some murky bubbles and two Gryffindor girls frantically trying to stop the problem, but otherwise all seems well.

“Harry, wha-” Louis starts.

But that’s when he sees him. Sat two tables away, next to a group of Ravenclaws quizzing each other, is Liam. He’s sitting in front of a large textbook that Louis doesn’t recognize, but regardless of what subject the book is, Liam isn’t paying any attention to it anyways. Liam’s eyes are locked on Louis and Harry, focused intensely on where Harry’s hand is currently covering Louis’ own.

Louis swivels back around to face Harry, eyes wide.

“Still a week until the ball,” Harry whispers, leaning closer to Louis than is strictly necessary to be heard. “And already the plan is working.”

Harry’s lips are practically brushing against his ear and it takes all of Louis’ willpower to not shiver at the feeling.

They go back to studying, and Louis laces their fingers together as he returns to flipping through in search of a list of poisons. Not even five minutes later, Liam stalks out of the library with a disgruntled look on his face.

 

-

 

It’s late the next night when Louis meets Harry outside of the potions classroom.

“So I’ve been thinking,” Harry says by way of greeting as Louis walks up to him.

“About potions, I hope.” Louis comments, following Harry inside the empty room and taking a seat at one of the desks.

“About the ball, actually.” Harry says, fidgeting nervously with his hands.

“Can it wait?” Louis asks, setting up a cauldron. “We’re sneaking into class to practice and _right now_ is when you want to discuss this?”

There’s a long pause, in which Louis grabs a bunch of the ingredients they will need and spreads them out by the cauldron.

“I wanted to talk to you alone.” Harry explains finally, adjusting his robes.

Louis goes still, his hand slowing from where he was adjusting the vials on the table. A sense of panic claws at Louis’ stomach. Harry has probably been having second thoughts since seeing the affect they had on Liam in the library. He’s too kind to go through with tricking Liam like this. Louis should have seen it coming.

“Go on, then.” Louis says fighting to keep his expression neutral as Harry makes no attempt to fill the silence. “What did you want to talk to me about?”

He wonders if the seed of jealousy planted in the library will be enough on its own for him to get Liam back, if Harry really is about to bail on him right now. Louis doesn’t blame him. Being someone’s fake date and boyfriend is an odd, demanding, and somewhat mean request.

“Do you think just us holding hands and such is…enough?” Harry asks slowly.

Louis swallows hard. This is it, then. He absently admires how well Harry fits as a Hufflepuff. Even as he’s trying to get out of their deal, his main concern is whether or not he has done enough for Louis.

“I mean, the ball would be the biggest thing for sure.” Louis says carefully, not wanting to make Harry feel obligated to not back out but also not wanting to encourage him to do so. “But I think it has definitely been good.”

Harry doesn’t say anything, so Louis backpedals.

“I mean,” Louis says, shrugging in a way that he’s sure falls far from being nonchalant. “It was good to see that I mean something to him still, at least.”

“Yeah.” Harry agrees finally.

He looks thoughtful, his eyebrows slightly furrowed and his lips pressed together a bit more than they usually are. He looks _good,_ Louis realizes with a start. The moonlight pouring in from the window coupled with the lumos spells beaming from their wands casts a soft light over Harry’s features. The strong outline of his jaw, the bow of his lips, the kind gaze of his eyes.

Louis turns his attention away from Harry and to the cauldron in front of him. “So,” He says, hoping Harry will just say what he’s thinking so they can get to practicing potions.

Sneaking into class past curfew was probably not a great idea, but what Harry really needs is more hands-on experience. Still, if Professor Cowell catches them, it won’t end well. They need to be in and out of this room as quickly as possible, if only to minimize the chances that they get caught.

Louis has come to terms with it, anyways. Harry is going to end the fake-boyfriend nonsense right now, and he’ll have to go to the Yule Ball alone and watch Liam and Zayn make eyes at each other all night. It’s fine, really. They can talk about it later, if Harry really wants to, but in Potions past midnight is probably not the time for it.

The apology and excuse that Louis is expecting never come.

“I think we should kiss at the ball.” Harry says instead.

“Um.” Louis says.

Louis’ brain is flatlining. He whips around to face Harry to make sure the other boy is serious. He is, surprisingly, his eyes searching Louis’ when they meet and those damned pink lips quirked upwards tentatively.

“If just holding hands got Liam riled up, imagine a kiss.” Harry says earnestly.

Louis glances at Harry’s lips, not sure he should dare imagine a kiss.

“Okay.” Louis says after what was probably a bit too long of a pause. To be fair, he had been expecting Harry to back out on him and had instead been informed Harry wants them to kiss. It’s a bit of a shock.

“Do you want to, um,” Harry pauses, studying Louis’ face. He shakes his head, and it’s hard to tell in the dim light but Louis swears his cheeks are red. “It’s just… I feel sort of weird having our first kiss in front of everyone, you know?”

Louis feels his eyes bug out at the taller man. He’s sure the look on his face is comical. “Harry…” He says slowly, acutely aware of how little space is currently between them. “What are you saying?”

Harry flushes, scratching his neck as he rambles, “I mean it’s a bit awkward to have an audience, not that we should _practice_ per say, but I think it might be good if we-”

Louis cuts him off, one eyebrow raised. “You’re saying you want us to practice kissing.”

“ _No,_ ” Harry emphasizes, looking scandalized. “Well, sort of. Just, when you phrase it like _that-_ ”

Louis shrugs, hoping he seems casual and not like his heart is about to pound out of his chest. “Okay.”

“I just mean-” Harry freezes mid-sentence. “Sorry, what?”

“I said, ‘okay’.” Louis repeats, taking a small step forward.

“Oh.” Harry breathes out, his eyes locking on Louis’. “Should I, um?” He lifts his hands uncertainly before settling one at Louis’ hip and the other gently cupping his cheek.

Harry leans down slow and uncertain, tentatively nudging his nose against Louis’ before letting his eyes flutter closed as he brushes their lips together. It’s a chaste kiss, short and sweet, and it leaves Louis wanting more.

The kiss ends all too soon, but neither boy makes any move to separate from where they are in the other’s arms. Louis blinks his eyes back open, finds Harry staring at him with a look in his eyes that he can’t quite decipher.

“Can we…?” Louis whispers, not fully sure what he’s asking for.

“Yeah.” Harry breathes, not wasting any time before reconnecting their lips.

Louis presses impossibly closer, parting his lips to grant Harry access to his mouth as he tangles his fingers in the other boy’s hair. Harry obliges willingly, making a small noise presumably at the way Louis is carding gently through his hair as he slips his tongue into his mouth.

There’s no pretense of practicing or pretending this time, because this kiss isn’t one meant to be repeated in front of others. Louis doesn’t know what to make of that, but he doesn’t have time to wonder about it, not when Harry is crowding him up against the desk to kiss him slow and deep.

He decidedly doesn’t think about it, which isn’t difficult to do when he has the feeling of Harry’s tongue along his to focus on instead. He’s embarrassingly hard from just a kiss, but it becomes significantly less embarrassing when he rocks his hips up and discovers that Harry seems to be having the same problem.

Harry groans quietly, pulling back for breath and kissing idly along Louis’ jawline as he slots their legs to get a better angle. Louis is grinding shamelessly up against the taller boy now. He thinks Harry might be just about to lay him back on the desk and suggest something more, and he isn’t opposed to the idea at all.

It’s ridiculously good, is the thing - more so than the situation has right to be, anyways. Louis isn’t sure when his attraction to Harry skyrocketed, but there isn’t anything he wants in this moment more than Harry.

They’re quiet, save for the sounds of kissing and the occasional noise when one of them moves their hips just right. It makes it fairly easy, to Louis at least, to hear what seems to be the telltale sound of distant whistling in the halls.

“Harry,” He whispers, the first coherent word that has been spoken in a long time.

“Oh, Louis,” Harry groans in response, ducking his head to press a kiss at the crook of Louis’ neck. It’s hot, but it’s also affectionate in a way that Louis can’t process right now, all too aware of how late it is and how tight his pants are and how the whistling he hears is getting progressively louder.

“Harry.” He hisses, more harshly this time. “Harry, stop.”

Harry freezes mid-grind, his eyes wide and guilty as they meet Louis’. “Is it too much?” He whispers, looking concerned. “Oh god, I’m so sorry Louis, I didn’t mean to-”

“Harry.” Louis interrupts, gripping Harry’s hips tightly. “No, it’s definitely not that. No, just listen for a sec. Do you hear it?”

As one unit, they go still. In the silence that follows, Louis becomes certain of the sound.

“Oh fucking hell.” Harry grumbles, looking more annoyed that they have to stop than worried about the consequences.

“D’you reckon it’s Filch?” Louis asks, reluctantly separating from Harry and hurriedly returning the cauldron and vials to their rightful places.

“Probably.” Harry grumbles, following Louis with an armful of flasks.

“If you drop one of those, I’ll kill you.” Louis says, glancing at Harry. Harry is known to be clumsy, and the number of glass containers he is carrying is mildly worrisome.

“If I drop these, we’ll both be dead.” Harry corrects him, even as he successfully sets the flasks down on the counter.

Louis adjusts his robes, grabbing his wand from the desk and striding over to the door to try and peek outside. “I don’t see anything,” He announces in a whisper. “Should we risk sneaking back to our rooms or do you think we ought to try and wait it out in here?”

“Sounds like he’s further away now, don’t you think?” Harry comments, looking thoughtful. “I say we risk it.”

“Okay.” Louis nods affirmatively. “On three?”

Harry nods back.

“One.” Louis whispers.

“Two.” Harry supplies.

Louis hesitates, looking at Harry. His lips are more red than ever, his hair is sticking up in ways it normally doesn’t, and his pants are tented at the crotch. He’s painfully attractive, and Louis simply can’t resist.

“Three.” He says, pressing a final kiss to Harry’s lips before swinging open the door and all but shoving the boy out, following right on his heels.

They are forced to part ways almost immediately due to the Hufflepuff and Slytherin dormitories being in completely opposite locations. Harry stumbles over his feet in order to blow Louis a kiss goodbye, and despite everything else that happened that night, it’s this moment that Louis replays in his mind as he makes his way back to the Slytherin boys’ dormitory.

He reaches the Slytherin common room without any trouble, and can only hope that Harry’s night ended in the same way. Zayn is awake when he sneaks in, sitting in his bed and sketching. He simply looks at Louis, taking in his disheveled appearance with a single raised eyebrow, and returns to what he was doing before Louis walked in. They don’t talk, which has become normal in the past weeks.

Instead, Louis strips off his robes and changes into his pyjamas before crawling into bed. As he falls asleep, he realizes that he and Harry never did accomplish any studying for potions today.

It’s not until the next day that he realizes that over the course of the past night, he didn’t think of Liam once.

 

-

 

In fact, Liam doesn’t cross his mind the next morning until Divination, when he opens up his copy of Unfogging the Future and a slip of paper falls out.

_Meet me after supper?_

_\- Liam_

 

Louis considers the parchment in his fingers for a moment, tracing over Liam’s handwriting. It’s so neatly written that it could have been printed by one of those muggle machines, he notes absently. A typewriter, he thinks is the term. But then again, Louis never paid much attention to Muggle Studies.

Still, the fact that it’s been written so carefully is a good sign. He’s very familiar with Liam’s hasty scrawl, as well as his rushed cursive. This elegant painstaking print is Liam trying to make a good impression. He wonders what Liam wants, tries not to hope too hard that it’s to apologize and beg for a second chance.

But even if this is the case, Louis wonders if he’ll forgive Liam. It’s a new thought, not being willing to take Liam back hasn’t really crossed his mind before. But that was because being able to move on from his relationship hadn’t seemed like something he was capable of before. But after last night with Harry, Louis can’t help but think he might be able to get over Liam after all.

He considers going to Harry with his thoughts, but Louis thinks if he is to go to Harry they should probably be talking about other things – namely what exactly had happened last night. That’s not a conversation that Louis is ready for, so in the end he finds himself seeking out a certain troublesome blonde.

“Niall, we need to talk,” He greets his friend. Niall had been talking to a group of fellow Ravenclaws, but upon seeing whatever is written on Louis’ face he immediately bids the group goodbye and follows Louis.

“You okay, Lou?” Niall asks. “Yule Ball is in two days.”

Louis glares at him. As if he hasn’t been counting down the days anxiously.

“I know.” Louis says, grimacing. “We’ve got a problem.”

“A problem?” Niall asks.

Louis holds out the note from Liam by way of answer.

Niall takes a moment, turning over the small square of parchment in his hands before handing it back to Louis. “This is good, innit? How is this a problem?” Niall asks.

“I made out with Harry.” Louis blurts out, nervously gauging Niall’s reaction. “And I haven’t been able to stop thinking about him since.”

“Okay…” Niall says slowly. It’s comforting, the fact that he doesn’t freak out. It makes Louis feel like everything is in control when in reality his life is spiraling. “So does that mean you have feelings for Harry now?”

Louis doesn’t know what it’s like to have feelings for anyone other than Liam and it makes everything all the more confusing. “I’m not supposed to.” He says instead of answering.

Niall is grinning at him like he knows something that Louis doesn’t.

“Niall,” Louis complains, tugging at his hair. “I don’t know what I’m meant to do. I know we started this whole scheme for me to make Liam jealous and win him back, but I’m not completely sure I want him back anymore.”

Louis frowns as he voices this aloud, the thought worrying him for more reasons than one. If the goal of pretending to date Harry wasn’t to win Liam over, then the only result of doing so was hurting Liam needlessly. Having that effect on Liam gave Louis a vindictive sense of pleasure, but at the same time he felt guilty for abusing that power. Liam had hurt him first, sure, and he definitely deserved every ounce of pain Louis was capable of inflicting on him by dating Harry. But Louis didn’t find that as comforting or validating as he once had.

“Just see what he has to say, yeah?” Niall suggests, shrugging. “And you can decide where to go from there.”

Louis nods, not feeling much better.

“Hey.” Niall says, knocking his shoulder against Louis. “I’d still count this as a win, wouldn’t you? You’re not heartbroken anymore. It might feel like this is a mess but at the very least, you’ve managed to undo the damage that he did to you.”

It’s true, Louis can’t help but acknowledge that. He’s been happy lately, and not only because he’s had a plan with which to get back Liam. Spending time in Harry’s company has lifted his spirits a lot more than he’d noticed in the moment.

“Thanks, mate.” Louis says with a soft smile.

“See?” Niall demands teasingly, poking Louis in the cheek. “You’ve come a long way in a short amount of time.”

Louis rolls his eyes and gives Niall a friendly punch to the arm.

He’s lucky to have a friend like Niall.

 

-

 

All through supper, Louis is nervous.

He alternates between inhaling his food and picking at it listlessly, either way making little to no attempt at small talk with his fellow Slytherins. They chat around him, gossiping about various things going on in the castle and talking about the upcoming ball, but for once Louis could care less about the castle drama.

“Louis,” A boy that Louis recognizes only vaguely, when he looks up from his food at the sound of his name being said, says in a hushed voice. “Is it true that you’re taking a Hufflepuff to the Yule Ball?”

Louis sneaks a glance at Zayn, who is sitting further down the table and doesn’t appear to be paying them any attention. “Yeah.” Louis says, playing with a piece of bread. “Why?”

“Just heard some rumors about it, is all.” The boy replies with a shrug.

Louis narrows his eyes, but doesn’t press further.

When they are dismissed from the Great Hall, he looks over to the Gryffindor table and finds Liam’s eyes already on him. Liam jerks his head towards the exit, mouthing ‘ _meet me outside.’_

“There you are, Lou, I haven’t seen you all day.” A voice interrupts, and he gives Liam a nod before tearing his gaze away at the sound of the slow, deep voice he has come to grow fond of over the past week.

“Harry!” He says, turning to face the boy who has been on his mind all day.

Harry laces their fingers together, pressing his lips to Louis’ temple in a kiss and murmuring softly against his skin “Liam is watching.”

“I know.” Louis says, wincing a little at the worried furrow in Harry’s brow.

“Oh.” Harry says, pulling back. He hesitates. Then, “You’re not upset about last night, are you?”

“No!” Louis all but shouts, eyes wide in horror at the conclusion Harry had jumped to.

“Okay… Because it feels like you’ve been avoiding me.” Harry says slowly.

“No, Harry.” Louis shakes his head, not sure how to articulate the thoughts swirling in his head. “I haven’t been, not deliberately.”

“D’you want to study potions, then?” Harry asks. He still looks worried, but there’s a hopeful lilt to the curl of his lips now. “I was going to go to the library, if you want to join.”

“Yeah, yeah.” Louis agrees. “I’ve got something I’ve got to do first, but I’ll meet you there right afterwards.”

Harry flashes him a thumbs up, and Louis tries not to seem too rushed in getting out of the Great Hall. He does his best to ignore the way Harry’s face falls when he hurries away from him.

 

-

 

“Do you think we could find the Room of Requirement to talk in privately?” Liam asks.

It’s not necessarily an outrageous thing to say – actually, it’s quite reasonable – but the fact that these are Liam’s first words to Louis since the breakup that had sent Louis spiraling is something that Louis is all too aware of.

“Hi to you too, Liam.” Louis deadpans, before continuing sarcastically, “It’s good to see you again, too. I’m well, thanks for asking.”

Liam, whose patronus isn’t a puppy for no reason, wilts inwards at the slight verbal assault. Knowing Liam, he probably genuinely feels bad at being called out for his lack of manners.

Louis scowls. His tone may be more biting than is warranted, but Liam does _not_ get to play the victim here.

“Room of Requirement.” Louis agrees, cutting off any attempt Liam might have made to salvage their greeting. “Let’s go.”

The walk to the seventh floor is one of silence, and Louis mentally takes in Liam’s appearance as they make their way there. Liam’s hair has grown out somewhat, and is currently styled upwards. He seems otherwise the same, clad in his Gryffindor robes and tie, but there is a look of grim determination on his face.

They pace together back and forth in front of where they know the Room of Requirement door is, and when the door appears it reveals behind it a simple table with two sofa chairs and a fireplace burning softly.

There’s hushed whispers and giggles from behind them and when Louis turns to see who it is, a group of second year Gryffindors rush away quickly, probably off to spread rumors.

The knowledge that these rumors will likely say Louis and Liam are seeing each other again somehow doesn’t make Louis as happy as he thinks it should.

“So.” Liam says, taking a seat in one of the armchairs after ensuring that the door is shut firmly behind them.

Louis sinks down into the other, noting with mild surprise how comfortable it is. “So,” He echoes. “What did you want to talk about?”

Liam looks somewhat uncomfortable, which Louis finds odd considering he is the one who asked for this meet-up. “I feel like we never got closure.” He says finally.

It comes out somewhat strained, and Louis realizes belatedly that his hand is again on the hilt of his wand. He relaxes his position, raising an inquisitive eyebrow at his ex-boyfriend. “You want closure, that’s what this is about?”

“It’s just… I’m really sorry about how things turned out.” Liam says, quietly.

Louis doesn’t really know what to say to that. It’s Liam’s own damn fault that things turned out the way they did, but snapping at Liam doesn’t feel right somehow. He settles on not saying anything.

It’s weird, thinking back to the last time they were sat together like this. So much has changed.

“Are you still furious with me?” Liam asks, looking like he’s afraid of the answer.

Louis would still very much like to methodically burn each and every one of his belongings, so probably yes. Snapping his wand in half would do the trick as well. Still, voicing this aloud seems counterproductive to the goal of getting Liam back, if that even is the goal anymore. “I haven’t fully forgiven you, if that’s what you’re asking.” Louis says after a moment. It’s articulated carefully, and he knows Liam knows it.

“Okay.” Liam says, running a hand through his neatly styled hair. It messes up his look a bit, and Louis finds himself disappointed that it doesn’t look half as good as it does when Harry does the same. “You don’t hate me though, do you?” Liam asks.

Louis sighs. “Liam.” He shakes his head. “I loved you. Hell, I still love you, I think.”

“Did you?” Liam cuts him off, his tone demanding.

The question is more of an accusation, and it catches Louis thoroughly off guard.

“What in Merlin’s name do you mean?” Louis asks, feeling heated. “Of course I did.”

“Or did you just feel safe.” Liam counters. It’s not a question, and it comes out a lot more calmly than anything else he has said so far. Yet somehow, it’s the most biting thing he has said.

“What?” Louis asks breathlessly, making a deliberate effort to keep his tone neutral.

“Don’t give me that.” Liam says quietly, firmly. “You settled for me, and you knew it. I was the safe choice, the one who would choose you back and follow along with your antics and be there to bail you out when you sassed Professor Cowell one too many times. We were such close friends to begin with, it was easy and it was comfortable and it was _safe_. But it wasn’t passionate. And Louis, you know I love you, but I don’t think we were truly in love.”

Louis takes a moment to process this, his mind racing. _You know I love you, but I don’t think we were truly in love._

“But you’re in love with Zayn, is that what you’re saying?” Louis asks. He means for it to come out harsher than it does, but at the way Liam’s face softens at Zayn’s name, Louis can’t even regret the lack of bite in his tone.

“I think so, yeah.” Liam replies, almost bashfully. Then, serious again, “We resisted it for a long time, though, I swear it.”

Louis looks down at his hands, fiddling absently with the tip of his wand. Liam had been his first boyfriend, his first everything. They had gone through the whole routine together – liking each other, dating each other, becoming official, saying they loved each other. He had assumed he was in love with Liam, had done his best to love Liam with his whole heart. But was it possible that he hadn’t truly fallen for the boy?

“So you didn’t… cheat on me, because of anything about me?” Louis has to ask, even if doing so makes him feel incredibly small.

Liam’s expression melts into something like pity, and it only emphasizes how vulnerable Louis is feeling in this moment. “No, Lou.” Liam says, maintaining eye contact so Louis knows he isn’t lying.

“It’s not like… I wasn’t too loud or annoying or, I don’t know, fat, or something?” Louis mumbles, needing to know.

Liam’s puppy dog eyes are out in full force now, eyebrows tilted upwards in the middle and brown eyes large and full of concern. “Louis,” He says gently. “Never.” Then, when Louis doesn’t say anything, “I mean it.”

Louis shrugs, shrinking at Liam’s overbearing gaze. “I don’t know. I guess the way things happened, I just thought…”

“No.” Liam repeats meaningfully. “None of that.”

There’s a long silence, in which Louis mulls over this. He’d assumed it had been some flaw of his that had driven Liam to cheating. Liam was all about morals and following rules, and he was the last guy Louis would have ever expected to cheat. But if it didn’t have anything to do with Louis after all, Liam accidentally falling in love with Zayn was something he could imagine would cause Liam to cheat much more realistically.

“Zayn and I…” Liam pauses, sorting his thoughts. “We didn’t mean to get together. We thought the other would never feel the same, even when we starting fooling around behind your back. I knew I should tell you, but I didn’t think Zayn would ever want to continue it. So I figured there was no harm done. He felt the same way, and by the time we both realized it was something real, well. You caught us before we were able to do anything about it.”

Louis nods, cringing a bit at the memories.

“I know it doesn’t make it right.” Liam says quickly. “But hopefully you can at least understand where we were coming from. And you don’t have to forgive us, but do know that we are so, so sorry.”

Louis doesn’t really know what to say to that. He nods again.

There’s another pause, and then Liam says slowly, “The reason I really wanted to meet, actually, is that I wanted to see if we could possibly be friends again.”

Louis jerks his head up at that, meeting Liam’s eyes in confusion.

“I heard you’re taking that Hufflepuff, Harry Styles, to the Yule Ball?” Liam asks gently.

Louis shrugs. There doesn’t seem to be much point in lying to Liam, trying to hurt him, or getting him back. So he says candidly, “Was trying to make you jealous about it, to be honest.”

“It worked.” Liam admits “It’s hard seeing the two of you together, but then I think about how you must feel to see me with Zayn.”

Louis chuckles wryly. “Would you believe I was half hoping you’d wanted to meet because you wanted me back?”

 Liam raises a shoulder halfheartedly. “Well, that’s what the closure is for. To get us on the same page, hopefully, and start working towards being how we used to be.” There’s a pause, and then Liam asks hesitantly, “So, you and Harry then?”

Louis gives Liam a thin smile. “Something like that.” He says noncommittally.

“You fancy him though?” Liam asks.

And that question is a lot simpler to face than the ones Louis has been asking himself – whether he wants Harry more than Liam, whether he could see a future with Harry like he did with Liam. Now, not comparing Harry to anyone else, it seems awfully easy to agree, “Yeah. I fancy him a lot, actually.”

Liam gives Louis a wink, and there’s a burst of friendly companionship that Louis hasn’t felt around Liam in a long time, even before their break up.

“It’s all confusing though.” Louis adds, shaking his head. “Not really sure how I feel, you know?”

“You’ll figure it out.” Liam assures him.

There’s a small smile on his lips, a knowing twinkle in his eye, and it makes Louis feel safe in a way he’s missed.

“Oh, fuck.” Louis says suddenly, eyes widening. “Speaking of Harry, I was supposed to meet him right after this. Please tell me it’s not after curfew yet.”

Liam looks genuinely worried, which, Liam caring so fully about Louis and his fake relationship with Harry is something Louis will have to consider later. But for right now, his very real friendship with Harry is at stake. And the situation is made even more dire due to how worried Harry had seemed when he had run into him after supper.

“Not quite yet.” Liam says, sounding relieved. “But you should go.”

“I should go.” Louis agrees, rising from his chair swiftly and giving Liam a small smile. Then, just as he’s about to turn away, he adds “Hey. I didn’t think I would tell you this ever again, but thank you. I’m glad we talked about this.”

Liam nods, standing and giving Louis a hug. “I’m really sorry for hurting you.” He says. “And I know it’s a long process, but I hope you’ll forgive Zayn and I someday.”

“Someday.” Louis says, because it feels like it’s the truth.

Then, he’s pulling back from the familiarity of Liam’s embrace and rushing towards the library. Especially after talking to Liam, he’s done playing things safe. It’s time to take some risks in the name of love.

 

-

 

Louis’ willing-to-risk-it-all mindset lasts all of five minutes, immediately fading upon seeing Harry at his usual library table. His hair is being uncooperative, flopping forwards despite what seems to be a constant effort to push it back. He’s focused on the parchment in front of him, writing slowly and carefully with his quill, biting his lower lip in concentration. Louis can’t see much of his face other than this, but he knows he’s the most beautiful boy in the room without even glancing at anyone else.

“Hey,” Louis whispers as he goes over to where Harry is sitting, relief evident in his voice. “I’m sorry that took so long, you have no idea how glad I am that you’re still here.”

“Yeah?” Harry asks, eyes lighting up as they settle on Louis’ face.

“Yeah.” Louis tells him, unable to fight back the smile that seems to appear whenever he’s around Harry.

“Where were you?” Harry asks. He says it casually, and it _is_ casual, just checking in on what Louis has been up to, but it makes Louis’ heart drop nervously nonetheless.

His motivation to tell Harry everything immediately fades. What if, after confessing that this is no longer about making Liam jealous, Harry decides he doesn’t want to go to the ball together? Then Louis will be in the same situation that he would have been in before this whole mess, hurting and alone at the ball.

Still, lying to Harry feels worse. “Liam wanted to meet up.” Louis admits.

Harry’s eyebrows go up at that and he sets down his quill carefully to give Louis his full attention, abandoning the pretense of studying for now. “And?” He prods. “What’d he say?”

Louis shrugs, motioning to the parchment in front of Harry. “Don’t let me distract you,” He chides teasingly. “It’s not really something I want to talk about right now, anyways.”

Harry nods, forcing a smile that lacks dimples and doesn’t quite reach his eyes.

“We’ll talk about it.” Louis assures him, not wanting him to feel like Louis is hiding this from him. “Just not tonight.”

It doesn’t cheer Harry up quite as much as Louis had expected it to, but before he has a chance to work on lifting Harry’s spirits, the librarian is scolding them and rushing them out.

“I’ll see you tomorrow night, then?” Harry asks as they part ways. “For the ball?”

“I’ll pick you up.” Louis says, nodding. “Meet you outside of the Hufflepuff common rooms.”

This time, Louis is the one who blows Harry a kiss. He’s rewarded with a dimple as Harry catches the kiss and winks at him.

When Louis gets back to the Slytherin dormitory, Zayn gives him a nod. It’s the most they’ve interacted in the past weeks, and Louis returns the gesture willingly. They may be taking baby steps, but at least they’re moving forwards.

 

-

 

“Say it.”

“No.”

“Please?”

“No.”

“C’mon, you owe me.”

“Niall is the best and smartest and I don’t know what I would do without him.” Louis parrots, punctuating the sentence with a glare at his friend.

“Yep!” Niall preens, making no attempt at humility. “Who got you over your breakup and into a new guy in record time?”

“You did.” Louis singsongs to humor him, rolling his eyes.

“That’s right.” Niall crows cheerfully, adjusting Louis’ suit collar once more.

It’s the next night after supper and if Niall weren’t helping him get ready for the Yule Ball, Louis is fairly certain he would have lost patience with the blonde less than half an hour ago.

“Thanks, Niall.” Louis sighs, shooting his friend a fond smile.

“Don’t worry about it.” Niall shrugs carelessly. “Been wanting to try out my Wrinkles-Be-Gone potion for ages. Do you think it’d work on skin as well as clothes?”

Louis looks at Niall dubiously, laughing. When Niall first sprayed the potion on his suit, it grew so smooth that it became stiff and immovable. Louis had been literally trapped in his suit and Niall had been laughing too hard to help.

“I wouldn’t try it.” Louis tells Niall. “At least, not on your own face, and definitely not the night of the ball.”

“That’s fair.” Niall agrees, and reluctantly pockets the potion.

“How do I look?” Louis asks, looking at Niall through the reflection of the mirror in front of him. He’s wearing a white collared shirt with a black bow-tie and his best robes, all of which have been enhanced by Niall with a variety of spells and potions. His hair has been styled into a quiff, held securely in place thanks to yet another spell from Niall. He looks good, he thinks, and there’s an irrational flutter of butterflies in his stomach as he hopes that Harry will think so too.

“You look like you need a drink.” Niall says, clapping him on the back.

Louis scowls at the blonde through the mirror and Niall holds up his hands in surrender.

“Fine, fine, you look great.” Niall amends. “Harry’s going to have hearts in his eyes and a hard-on at his crotch when he sees you.”

Louis can’t help but laugh at that, smacking a grateful kiss to Niall’s cheek.

Niall makes a show of wiping it off, but catches Louis’ wrist as he’s about to rush off to meet Harry. “Hey, Lou?”

“Yeah?” Louis stops, glancing back at Niall.

“Did you ever figure out why I set you up with Harry for this whole scheme to begin with?” Niall asks.

Louis eyes his friend in confusion. He had wondered about this more at the start – how Niall had managed to pick a boy that Louis found to be devastatingly attractive who was also willing to go along with their plan. After putting some thought into it, however, he had decided that Niall had simply gotten lucky and probably would have had them ask around until they found someone anyways.

“You chose him specifically?” Louis asks, watching Niall carefully.

“That I did.” Niall nods, looking all too pleased with himself. “Harry and I are mates. We got real drunk together one night, and you know what he wouldn’t shut up about?”

Louis shakes his head slowly.

“You.” Niall says, grinning to himself. “Couldn’t get him to stop babbling about the ‘pretty boy in potions with the blue eyes and the soft caramel hair’.” Niall makes air quotes around his words, pretending to gag.

“Me?” Louis asks belatedly, eyes wide in shock.

“Yeah, Merlin knows why.” Niall teases. “He’s had a massive crush on you since forever.”

“I, that’s-” Louis cuts himself off, shaking his head to clear it. “I thought he was only doing this as a favor.”

“Nah.” Niall says, shrugging. “It’s not quite as selfless as that. I just thought you should know, didn’t want you to back out of telling him how you feel at the last second because you were scared he didn’t like you back.”

Louis blushes sheepishly. Based on the nervous churn of his stomach earlier, there was a very real possibility that Louis would have done exactly that.

“Thanks, Niall.” Louis says softly.

Niall shrugs, giving him a friendly wink. “Don’t get all sappy on me, Tomlinson. Go get your boy.”

Louis salutes him, smiling wide, and goes to do just that.

 

-

 

When Harry steps out of the Hufflepuff common room ten minutes later, Louis can’t imagine how he could have overlooked this beautiful boy for so long. His hair is fighting against his attempts to style it as always, his suit is dark with a shimmering floral pattern that is only visible in certain angles, and his eyes are the greenest that Louis has ever seen them. He’s smiling, both dimples appearing at the sight of Louis, and Louis has never known anyone more gorgeous.

It’s similar to that night when Louis had picked up Liam for the Yule Ball years ago, but also so different. He’s a bit nervous again, his stomach and heart fluttering with it, but it feels right in a way that he recognizes as being new.

“How do I look?” Harry asks, taking Louis’ hand in his.

“Beyond good.” Louis answers honestly, and Harry lets out a relieved sigh.

“Thanks.” Harry says, lips quirking upwards. “I was trying to look my best, so Liam would have something to be jealous of.”

Louis knows he should say something, should tell Harry that although he looks amazing, it doesn’t have to be for Liam’s sake anymore. But he can’t make the words come out.

Instead, he squeezes Harry’s hand and guides him through the castle to where the ball is being held.

As it turns out, Louis didn’t have to worry at all about Harry and Liam. Although Harry had started off the night making offhand references to Liam, neither boy spent any time actually looking for Liam. For all of their efforts over the past week, they were suddenly mutually disinterested in Liam and Zayn. Louis was sure that the two were off dancing or kissing or holding each other somewhere, but he found that he didn’t really mind the thought anymore – not when he had something much more important to focus on in his arms.

Harry seems to feel the same way. Or, another possibility that Louis acknowledges, is that he is too focused on dancing to worry about Liam. Harry, it seems, is an objectively awful dancer. And yet, loves to dance.

Like most things Harry does, it’s hopelessly endearing.

Louis holds him close under the pretense of supporting him, and lets Harry stumble over his toes as they twirl around on the ballroom floor.

The night passes in a whirl of dancing and drinking, and before they know it, the party is dying down.

“Hey,” Harry says, looking giddy. His hair is askew, his cheeks flushed red, his forehead sweaty. He’s beautiful.

“Hey.” Louis answers, unable to help the fond smile that comes to his face.

“Liam’s watching.” Harry informs him, and Louis feels his face fall somewhat.

But then Harry is tilting his chin up carefully, slotting their lips together and kissing him deeply. It toes the border between being an appropriate for public kiss and not, but Louis doesn’t mind at all, leaning into it and kissing Harry back.

When Harry pulls away after a moment, Louis wraps his arms around Harry’s neck and asks innocently, “Is he still watching?”

Harry hesitates, his gaze flicking temporarily away from Louis to check. He shakes his head. “No, he’s talking to Zayn now.”

“Good.” Louis says, and pulls Harry in for another kiss.

He can feel Harry’s confusion, the questions that are trying to bubble their way out of his mouth. But he doesn’t care about clearing things up right now, just wants to kiss Harry breathless.

Harry catches up with the program immediately, seeming content to explore Louis’ mouth first and his thoughts later. They kiss for what feels like a short time, but must have been indecently long because they’re interrupted by Niall’s holler of “Oi! Get a room, you two.”

That’s another tempting idea, but when Louis finally grasps Harry’s hand and tugs him away from the decorated ballroom, it’s not for this reason, no matter how attractive that option sounds. Harry follows him willingly, and it feels a bit like Harry might follow him anywhere. It’s not as scary of a thought as it ought to be, especially when Louis realizes he’d probably follow Harry anywhere too.

They’re outside of the Hufflepuff common rooms, toeing their way around their goodbyes for the night, when Louis decides he ought to just get it over with.

“Harry?” Louis asks, studying the taller boy for a moment as he raises his eyebrows by way of answer. “Can I kiss you goodbye?”

A dimple appears at that, and Harry pulls Louis close to connect their lips in a sweet kiss.

Louis kisses his eagerly, meaningfully, hoping to convey the things that words can’t quite say. He pulls back after a moment, and whispers softly, “Thank you for tonight, H.”

Harry shrugs it off, saying simply “I had a really good time, Lou. And I hope it helps work out things between you and Liam the way you wanted it to.”

Louis shakes his head, looping his arms around Harry’s waist. “I don’t want it to, actually. Not anymore.”

Harry goes still, and Louis can practically hear the gears turning in his head as he processes his words. “What do you mean?”

“I mean,” Louis says. “You know how we were pretending to fall for each other and faking being each other’s boyfriends?”

Harry nods slowly.

“I wasn’t pretending.” Louis tells him. “And I don’t want it to be fake.”

It’s a moment that will be etched in Louis’ memory for the rest of his life. Harry’s face remains impassive at first, as he thinks through exactly what Louis is saying. Then, there’s a spark in his eyes, a glimpse of something manic and hopeful. Moments later, once he’s had a chance to go over it mentally once more, he breaks out in a smile that takes up his whole face.

“Louis,” He says breathlessly, gripping tightly at Louis’ shoulders.

Harry looks unsure of what exactly he wants to do, seeming torn between excitedly shaking Louis and snogging him. The latter wins out, and it’s only when Harry comes up for breath that he says, “Me too. I fell for you too, Lou.”

Louis can’t help the way his heart flutters at the words, smiling loopily. “I know it’s not nearly as extravagant as the last time,” He says, shrugging one shoulder. “But, Harry. Will you be my boyfriend?”

Harry beams at him. “Yes.” He emphasizes, smiling wide. “Yes, yes, yes, yes.” He alternates between saying ‘yes’ and peppering kisses over Louis’ face.

Louis loses count fairly quickly of how many times this happens, but it doesn’t matter. The details aren’t important right now. In fact, nothing is important right now. Nothing other than the boy in his arms, who is finally his to love for real. 


End file.
